---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 4004"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "4004"
heading: "Establishment of National Council"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/4004"
units:
  - "Chapter 60 — Fish and Seafood Promotion"
---

# §4004. Establishment of National Council

- (a) **Establishment—** There is established the National [Fish](/usc/16/4003.md?p=3) and Seafood Promotional [Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=2).
- (b) **Composition—**
  - (1) The [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall be composed of the [Secretary](/usc/16/4003.md?p=16), who shall be a nonvoting [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9), and fifteen voting [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/4003.md?p=16).
  - (2) Nominations for appointees shall be submitted in a manner prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/4003.md?p=16).
- (c) **Regional representation—** The [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall be comprised of regional representation from the Northeast, Southeast, Pacific, and Alaska regions. The Northeast region shall consist of the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The Southeast region shall consist of the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territory of the Virgin Islands. The Pacific region shall consist of the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) of Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii, the territories of Guam and American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Alaska region shall consist of the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Alaska.
- (d) **Voting members—**
  - (1) The voting [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall be—
    - (A) three [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) who reside in or do substantial fishing industry business in the Northeast region;
    - (B) three [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) who reside in or do substantial fishing industry business in the Southeast region;
    - (C) three [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) who reside in or do substantial fishing industry business in the Pacific region;
    - (D) three [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) who reside in or do substantial fishing industry business in the Alaska region;
    - (E) two [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9)-at-large with demonstrated expertise in fresh-water and inland commercial fisheries, at least one of whom is not a resident of the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) of the Alaska, Pacific, Southeast, and Northeast regions; and
    - (F) one [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9)-at-large who is either a [person](/usc/16/4003.md?p=11) professionally engaged in the dissemination of information pertaining to the nutritional benefits and preparation of [fish and fish products](/usc/16/1826c.md?p=1) or a [person](/usc/16/4003.md?p=11) who is a [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of an organized labor union and has expertise in the [United States](/usc/16/4003.md?p=17) fisheries.
  - (2) Of the [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) appointed pursuant to each of paragraphs (1)(A) through (D) of this subsection, one shall be a [harvester](/usc/16/4003.md?p=5), one shall be a [processor](/usc/16/4003.md?p=12) or a [receiver](/usc/16/4003.md?p=13), and one shall be a [marketer](/usc/16/4003.md?p=7).
- (e) **Term of office—** [Members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. A vacancy in the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall not affect its ability to function. The [Secretary](/usc/16/4003.md?p=16) shall appoint a new [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) within sixty days to fill a vacancy in an unexpired term. Any [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) may remain on the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) beyond that [member](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9)’s term until a successor is appointed.
- (f) **Chairman—** The [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall annually elect a Chairman by a majority of those voting, if a quorum is present. Ten [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
- (g) **First meeting—** The [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall first meet within one hundred and eighty days after November 14, 1986.
- (h) **Compensation of members—** [Members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10) shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed in accordance with [section 5703 of title 5](/usc/5/5703.md) for reasonable travel costs and expenses incurred in performing their duties as [members](/usc/16/4003.md?p=9) of the [National Council](/usc/16/4003.md?p=10).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–659, title II, § 205, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3717; Pub. L. 100–350, § 3, June 27, 1988, 102 Stat. 660.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1988—Subsec. (d)(1)(E). Pub. L. 100–350 which directed the substitution of “, at least one of whom is not a resident of the States of the Alaska, Pacific, Southeast, and Northeast regions” for “and who are not residents of the States of the Alaska, Pacific, Southeast, or Northeast regions” was executed by substituting that phrase for “and who are not residents of the states of the Alaska, Pacific, Southeast, or Northeast regions”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Continuity of National Council Membership

Pub. L. 101–627, title VII, § 704(a), (b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4464, provided that: Uninterrupted Service.—Individuals serving on September 30, 1990, as members of the National Fish and Seafood Promotional Council shall be deemed to continue as members in uninterrupted service since the date of their initial appointment. Filling of Vacancies.—Notwithstanding section 206(e) of the Fish and Seafood Promotion Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 4005(e)), any vacancy on the National Fish and Seafood Promotion Act [Promotional Council] not filled as of September 30, 1990, shall be filled within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 28, 1990].”